I do get why people will support the Crime and Policing Bill. Every day we see horrific crimes happening, to often reported on TikTok or other social media, many of these violent and scary incidents happen in our communities or ones we know.
I understand the frustration of knowing who has committed a crime, just to be told by the police that there is nothing they can do.
I have been a victim of violent crime several times, almost always due to my seeming vulnerable, on sticks, crutches or even in my wheel chair.
But here is the crux (not crutch), each and every time, whether it’s caused by my visible vulnerability or not, the police refuse to see an attack upon a disabled person as a hate crime, and each time have refused to act. The last time the behaviour of the attending officer in itself was aggressive and bullying, and resulted in a formal complaint, that ultimately became subject to the proverbial “cover up” and “lip service”.
It’s not powers the police need to do their jobs, it’s provision and accountability.
I do not know of anyone that respects the police, especially me to be honest, and I worked alongside them for many years. Yes there are good and bad in all roles, but sadly in my humble opinion the police have more rotten apples than most services.
If the police can be bothered to do their job, it is amazing what they have the power to achieve.
Police already can enter your home with “probable cause” or if they believe you or someone else is in immediate risk of harm, in other words, if they have cause to believe a crime is being committed or that someone is in danger they can smash windows or even your front door.
In my role, I on many occasions told the police to gain entry to people’s homes, always with a credible and supportive belief that people, children, families and adults were at risk on odd occasions due to fire arms being known to be at the property, and being used for either a threat or worse. These requests or instructions were never in my personal experience refused due to the need for a warrant.
Yes if there is time to get a warrant the police will endeavour to do so, but a duty inspector can authorise entry.
Sadly though now the police have become unfit for purpose, in Derbyshire for instance, when you call the police, you are met with a recording telling you that they will not investigate any reports of burglar alarms, and they don’t.
If you report a break in or theft you will only receive an incident or crime number. They won’t attend, unless they have intelligence and exceptional reason to do so, (or unless you live in an expensive property, which they will deny but has been proven and confirmed to me over the years, and if you are a mason you likely will receive a different more proactive response than the rest of us.
So why these new and as they should be described “Draconian Laws” that government and in particular Starmer’s regime wish to bring in?
- People seen as political agitators (anyone who the government see as adversarial to them, that will be me then) can be raided without cause or notice.
- Suspected terrorist (or people that are not white British) can be raided without cause or notice)
- Raids without cause or notice can be used as a means to control by threats and fear
- People can be dissuaded from talking out against government due to the real and credible fear of being raided without cause or notice.
- A political master such as Minister or Prime Minister, or even civil servant can instruct the police to raid people’s homes, despite there not being any credible cause or notice.
- It removes a level of (often only imagined) protection from the misuse of police and security agency powers.
- It removes yet more of our protections and rights, which, were won for us at a cost of blood, and lives of those who lived before us. These rights we hold are the bane of those controlling or seeking to control us.
As a sub note to this, it has come to light this week that the government of the UK has told Apple to not update your phones with a security update that would prevent the government, the security forces and their private contractors gaining access to your phones. The UK is the only Country to do this, and given we are also seemingly the only country with the most complex legislation, written in statute and case law, with a path to conviction without trial, and with more cctv per head than any other country in the world including China and North Korea, we should all have huge alarm bells ringing in our heads.
This governments stripping and erosion of the rights of its citizens is wore blatant than any since Hitler or Stalin, yet we just sit on Facebook, on other social media or watching soaps or other inane tv and let them carry on.
If you can’t be bothered standing against this, if you don’t see the issues, if all you want to do is bury your heads, then you need to understand that you are sadly betraying the very future of our children and all to come.
Don’t take my word for it, go do some research, read about the industrial revolution, look at the rights that were won by our forebears, what life was like before and after.
What’s going to be next, maybe the taking away of even the fallacy of democracy from women, from the working class or the destruction of the remainder of the few rights we retain.
All I write is based upon my personal experiences, I do not rely upon books beyond those that inform us of our history, the events that preceded our lives, and even then given history is written by the victors, I hold healthy scepticism.
About me:
I am currently 57yrs old, I left school in the height of Thatcher’s “reign” of misery.
When I left school I began a Youth Training Scheme (YTS), I lasted a few weeks on my £25 per week wage. I then went to college doing a preliminary certificate in social care (PCSC).
I was already political but became an officer for the Student Union (NUS) and chair of the college’s Labour Group. This was when I first faced a police horse back charge at Warrington, when i saw the true role of the police, to keep us in line and their paymasters safe. I also began gaining experience of picket lines, marches, demos and even direct action.
I was a member of CND, Anti Nazi League and Anti Fascist Action. I joined the Labour Party.
I left college in the first year to get a job in a “Nursing Home” that was truly poorly regulated. The owners paid off the fire brigade inspectors or whoever in the local authority that was supposed to inspect their provision. As a 16yr old lad, I was often left solely in charge of a 12 bed home, with people who all had extremely challenging needs.
I stayed as long as I could but soon realised in was nor safe for the residents nor myself.
I then went on a community program working for Keep Britain Tidy. I was Dicky Dustbin, and ended up on Radio Manchester being interviewed dressed as a dustbin.
I left there and worked in what could only be described as a sweat shop run by two Evangelical preachers. Their Christian beliefs of love, empathy and acceptance did not stretch to their work force.
Next I went on to driving buses for many years, starting off with GM buses little gems, then beeline buses “Busy Bees” city sprint.
I worked on buses and coaches, in England and Wales.
Throughout this time I volunteered in Youth Clubs both in rural and inner city areas.
I then kinda fell into Children’s residential care, firstly as a relief worker but then part time and full time.
I was seconded to do my social work qualification and once qualified worked all over the UK often working as a trouble shooter in areas that were in crisis.
I specialised in Child Protection, but also worked with adults and families.
A few years ago now I had to medically retire from Social Work, but keep my registration up to date and even now try to undertake appropriate pro bono tasks for people in crisis or fighting for support in a failing system.
So that’s pretty much me, and where my views formed through my own experiences.
When I write, I do so with passion, empathy when deserved, and honesty.
Thank you all for reading this far. Please feel free to follow me on social media and share anything you feel is appropriate.
I have a personal blog at http://www.thejonesy.com
Thanks again,
Simon / Jonesy
Jonesy, simply a human 